Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Grace Time Crimson&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Grace Time Crimson,’ having a good uniform canopy of red single quill type flowers with a light green disc. The new variety has a medium vigor, free branching, with a uniform spreading habit and good a foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/524,736, filed on Nov. 20, 2003.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Grace Time Crimson.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the variety name ‘Grace Time Crimson.’

‘Grace Time Crimson,’ identified as 20911-28, was discovered as a wholeplant mutation found in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety‘Grace Time Pink’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application Ser. No. 60/524,339).The new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ has been asexually reproduced byvegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and thedistinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Grace Time Crimson’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety havingred single quill type flowers.

Comparison with Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ are similarto the parent variety ‘Grace Time Pink’ in plant habitat and growthrate. In side-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, UnitedKingdom, under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ compared to plants of the parent variety‘Grace Time Pink’ in the following characteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ produces red quill singleflowers whereas ‘Grace Time Pink’ produces purple single flowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ have similarinflorescence to the plants of ‘Grace Time Pink.’

Comparison with Other Varieties

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ aredissimilar to the variety ‘Texas Time Red’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,015)in plant habitat and growth rate. However, in side-by-side comparisonsin Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ differedfrom plants of the variety ‘Texas Time Red’ in the followingcharacteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ produces red quill singleflowers whereas ‘Texas Time Red’ produces red quill spoon tip singleflowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ have smaller andshorter inflorescence than plants of ‘Texas Time Red.’

3. The new variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ has a quicker response time thanthe plants of ‘Texas Time Red.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ are shown in the accompanying digitalphotograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usuallimits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of thenew variety ‘Grace Time Crimson’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in theillustration is 58 days from the commencement of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace TimeCrimson’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom in the month of September. The variety has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype mayvary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C.during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such asone B9 treatment at about 2 gm per liter. To produce a commercialproduct the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Thetypical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has beenobserved that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with aresponse time of about 7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growthin a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The new variety may be produced as a spray. The following description iswith respect to a plant produced as pot. In the description of this newChrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

PLANT

-   Plant type: Pot.-   Habit: Upright and free branching.-   Height: 22 cm.-   Width: 32 cm.-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.8.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—139C.-   Branching characteristics: upright and free branching.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—14.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.6.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.-   Number of breaks from pinch: 5 to 7.-   Response time: 52 days.-   Vigor: Medium.-   Shelf life: 21 days.-   Life of blooms: 21 days.-   Disease (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Pest (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Drought or temperature (susceptibility or resistance): None    observed.-   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter    B9 @2, 21 and 28 days after sticking of unrooted cuttings. The    plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of    light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of    dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—after 7 days the first roots emerge and form            root primordia. In 14 Long Days a complete root system is            developed.

FOLIAGE

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8 to 12.-   Compound or single: Single.-   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4.5 Length (cm): 9.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly Undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole:    -   -   Color.—139B.        -   Length (cm).—1.3.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.-   Venation:    -   -   Color.—upper side: 138B under side: 138C.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—near 137C; under side: near 138A.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—near 137A; under side: near 138A.

FLOWER

-   Flower appearance: Matte.-   Flower type: Single quill.-   Flower form: Slightly cupped.-   Flower shape: Circular.-   Flowering habit: Cyme.-   Number of blossoms per branch: 5.-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December.-   Inflorescence form: Cyme.    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—5 cm.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—18.        -   Color.—138A.        -   Length.—0.7 cm.        -   Width.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—13 cm (average).        -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—terminal: 3 cm; lateral: 4 cm.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—medium.-   Ray florets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Straight and cylindrical.        -   Texture/Appearance.—matte.        -   Number per flower.—40.        -   Length.—2.5 cm Width: 0.4 cm.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Shiny.        -   Number per flower.—192.        -   Length.—0.5 cm; Width: 0.1 cm.        -   Diameter of disc.—1.2 cm.-   Fragrance: none observed.-   Flower bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length.—1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Form/shape.—Globular.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 45A and 48A            Mature: near 45B and 48A Older/Fading: near 45D and 48B.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 44C Mature: near            44C Older/Fading: near 43C.        -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 151A Mature: near 151B            Older/Fading: near 151B.        -   4. Bud.—45C Flower progression with age: There is no change            with the flower form, but there is a slight color fading            with age.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Gynoecium present on ray and disc florets.-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—40.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—Forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—90.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Stigma shape.—forked.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Androecium: None observed.-   Fruit and seeds: None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.